Thursday, January 2, 2014

My Life According to Books I Read in 2013

2013 was not a good year for reading for me.  I struggled with many of the books I read.  Sure, I had some I enjoyed, but many of the books I read were flops, and I got stuck on them for months at a time.  In total, I only read 49 books this year.  I had hoped to at least reach 50 (normal for me is around 80), but stopped reading in December when life became too busy, and the book I was reading didn't mesh with my current mindset.  Nevertheless, I had enough books to jump into the yearly meme from The Happily Ever After, so here it is:

My Life According to Books I Read in 2013

Describe yourself: Unorthodox by Deborah Feldman

How do you feel:
 Touch and Go by Lisa Gardner

Describe where you currently live: 
Dragon House by John Shors 

If you could go anywhere, where would you go:
 Joyland by Stephen King

Your favorite form of transportation: 
  Fox Tracks by Rita Mae Brown

Your best friend is: 
  Loving Everyone by Michael Chase

You and your friends are: 
  Local Girls by Alice Hoffman

What's the weather like: 
   Wicked by Nancy Holder

What is life to you: 
 In the Bag by Kate Klise

Favorite time of day: 
  Goodnight, Nebraska by Tom McNeal

Your fear: 
  Two Graves by Preston and Child

What is the best advice you have to give: 
The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff

Thought for the day:
   Never Change by Elizabeth Berg

How I would like to die: 
One Foot in Eden by Ron Rash

My soul's present condition: 
  The White Garden by Stephanie Barron

My family is:
The Secrets of Happy Families by Bruce Feiler

Please know that I am not necessarily recommending these books - while I did like most of them, some I did not. 

How about you, readers - read any good books in 2013? 

24 comments:

jp@A Green Ridge said...

Forty nine...that is awesome! I am sure that next year you will select books more to your liking...:)JP

Harry Flashman said...

Given all the responsibilities you have I would say you have done extremely well to read as much a you have.

I think "War and Peace" is on line for free if you want some light reading. ;-)

Sandra said...

Happy New Year!
I just finished Persuasion, again.

Slamdunk said...

I am impressed with 49 books read--so congrats. Unfortunately, my job requires me reading boring articles and books so that taps most of my reading time. Last month, I did read a friend's book, but I was disappointed with it. I started reading a second one by the same author and it seems much better.

TexWisGirl said...

a cute exercise. :)

Sonya @ Under the Desert Sky said...

Yep, 2013 was definitely not "the year of books" for either of us. I actually finished 39 - way less than usual, because there were some books I just couldn't get through.

This is always a fun meme, though! I enjoyed your list.

Here's to great reading in 2014!!

I Am Woody said...

I am impressed with the number of books you read! I am ashamed that I only read 4 :/ Definitely need to step it up this year!

Tanya Breese said...

wow, i didn't even come close! happy reading!!

Tina Fariss Barbour said...

I think 49 is great! I didn't read nearly that many. I read some good mysteries this year. Sue Grafton came out with her latest, which was excellent. And I read another poetry book by Mary Oliver. I'm reading a John Sandford book now.

L.L.E said...

Holy COW! 49 books!! That's alot. I am reading "Unbroken" right now and it's absolutely excellent. True wwii story about crashing in the pacific and floating for weeks in a 6' life raft with sharks circling the boat while in enemy waters. Can hardly put it down. The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon is excellent too.

rayfamily said...

Fun Challenge, I joined in too! Thanks for posting :)
http://rayfamilyfarm.blogspot.com/2014/01/my-life-according-to-books-i-read-in.html

Debby@Just Breathe said...

Interesting post! I need to take more time to read. I buy books but seldom read them :( Yet when I do read I just love where it takes me!

Barbara said...

I remember reading the Tao of Pooh in college. I loved it. What a fun list.

Gail Dixon said...

Wow, 80 books is your usual? Impressive. One of my favorites was The Art of Hearing Heartbeats...I forget the author's name. That one stands out among the dozen or so I read last year.

Karen thisoldhouse2.com said...

Billy Crystals autobiography - Still fooling em - was hilarious, honest, witty, a real gem.

I'm reading Cheerful Money now.. and while it would not normaly catch my attention, it was recommended and I am thoroughly enjoying it. Very good writing, amusing truths.

Tweedles -- that's me said...

Happy New Year and we hope you find lots of new books to read in 2014
love
tweedles

Turn The Page said...

Wow. You really made me think here because I love to read, and I always had my fave authors...James Patterson, Lee Child, David Baldacci...and I was not a big non-fiction type reader...until Spring of 2013. Now it is...Gary Zukov's Seat of the Soul...Awareness by Anthony De Mello; Evolutionary Enlightenment by Andrew Cohen; and Conversations with the Universe by Simran Singh...yes, very different indeed. I am happy and I wish you and yours great JOY AND HAPPINESS FOR 2014! Aloha

Sally said...

I don't know how you find time to read! I've read many but the good news is, I can pick up one I read last year and read it again. :)

Mary said...

This is a cool post! Thanks for sharing!

Willow said...

You just made me realize I didn't read many books in 2013 ~ I plan to read more this year !

Lynn said...

Goodness I do not know but two of your reads, Rita Mae Brown has made me laugh while Alice Hoffman has had me in tears and laughter..I didn't read as much as I had intended either.

Out on the prairie said...

A good list, I had only read Wicked.

Our Neck of the Woods said...

I need to read more books! Mostly what I read this year were cookbooks and one on food photography that I really enjoyed.

Christine said...

Hi Lisa! Thank you so much for your interest in this meme again this year. It's so much fun hosting the link up and reading what everyone comes up with.

I missed my goal this year, too.. I set out to read 101 books (including about a dozen graphic novels and a handful of novellas so probably only about 80 full length novels).. this year I made it to 98 including a few re-reads. SO CLOSE! Hopefully 2014 will be a better reading year for both of us.

Love all your answers in the meme. How brave of you to say you'd go to Joyland! ACK! LOL! I think the Tao of Pooh is great advice and One Foot in Eden is brilliant too.

Happy, healthy New Year to you and yours! xxx